Not Entirely Appropriate
by rhielect
Summary: DX:HR, Adam meets a young girl (original char) through the course of his work, they form a shaky and platonic romance. First draft, not too serious about this. I realize this might not make sense at any point in the timeline, but I thought it would be fun to write it. Platonic: /pla·ton·ic/ (of love or friendship) Intimate and affectionate but not sexual.
1. Chapter 1

(Author's Note: If you are following this story, leave a review or a comment to let me know. I won't bother posting the rest if it's uninteresting! Lemme know if I should keep posting the following chapters! Thank you.)

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Adam's sleep addled brain awoke to the sensation of a warm body curling up against him. Soft skin brushed against his, the smell of oranges fluttered into the air around him and he had no power to resist. Sluggishly, he moved to enclose his arms around the girl. A small sigh escaped him as he pulled her closer still, and buried his face in her tangled hair. As he slowly came fully awake, he was aware of her deep breathing. She was still asleep, her chest rising and falling in time with his own. Her hand had slid around his waist, resting on his lower back.

It took a moment, but Adam eventually registered the rest of her limbs. One bare leg leaned against his thigh, and then other leg looped over his own to press against his groin. Her other hand was trapped between them, dangerously close to inappropriate territory. The shock of finding them so intimately entwined was instant, but gave way to worry just as quickly. He was fairly certain that nothing had happened during the night; they were both too exhausted after her earlier struggle and his mental agonies. But he didn't want to be accused of doing anything inappropriate with the teenager.

What would Sarif say if he found out Adam had barely waited a day before jumping into bed with his fifteen year old niece?

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**The previous afternoon:**

The elevator chimed a quiet salute before opening it's doors and spilling Adam Jensen into the penthouse lobby of Sarif Industries. David Sarif's elderly secretary, Athene Margoulis, sat behind her desk across the room. Her face was awash with the warm glow of her computer screen, and she didn't bother to look up as Jensen approached.

"Is Sarif in there?" Jensen asked, with the barest pause in his step. He headed towards the office door, leaving Margoulis blinking owlishly behind him, finally distracted from her monitor.

"He's expecting you. Go on in." It was barely necessary. Jensen already had the door open and then it was sliding shut behind him with a soft whush of air.

David Sarif sat at his desk, one arm supporting his chin, the other writing quickly across a scrap of paper. A burst of sound from the telephone beside him alerted Jensen to the speakerphone call in progress. He waited quietly by the desk while Sarif continued to take notes and chat with the caller. After a moment, he hung up and gave Jensen his full attention.

"Ah, Adam! There you are. Took you long enough to get back to me!"

"Your message sounded serious. Is there some sort of emergency?" Jensen looked hopeful. There had been an excess of monotony these last few weeks, the city had lapsed into fatigue after it's strenuous efforts at rebellion, and Jensen was itching to have something to do with his time other than think about the state of his life.

"In a manner of speaking, yes. I do need you to take care of an extremely important matter for me."

"Go on." This was sounding better and better. Usually Jensen disliked being called up to Sarif's penthouse. It made him feel like a schoolboy in trouble all over again.

"Listen, Adam. I know this isn't your usual gig, but I can't ask anyone else. There isn't anyone else I'd trust with this, and there certainly isn't anyone as capable for the job."

Jensen stood quietly and waited for Sarif to continue. The man was long winded enough without being interrupted by questions. He'd get to the mission soon enough.

"My niece is coming into the city tonight and I need you to pick her up from the airport. You'll take Malik and fly down there by 21:00, when her flight arrives. I want Evelyn to be accompanied from the second she gets off the plane until you deliver her to me in a few days. You are not to let her out of your sight, not for a minute. You got me?"

"How old is your niece? You're asking me to babysit?" Jensen was nonplussed.

"Think of it as protecting precious cargo, Adam. She's 15, she's rebellious... I know she can be a real handful from first hand experience, so I need to you to be very careful with her. And I don't want any harm to come to a single hair on her pretty little head. Do you understand?"

"This hardly seems to warrent the 'emergency' you tacked onto it earlier..." Jensen shifted his weight from one foot to the other. This was going to be a pain in the ass.

"I don't pay you to question me. This kid is the future of this company, and as such, I want you to treat her with the utmost care and respect. Do it as a favour to me, if you can't take it seriously as a mission. Just get her from the airport and keep her safe."

"You want me to bring her here?"

"I've got a suite of hotel rooms booked for her at the Hilton. She can't stay at my place with all the renovations going on, and I can't very well watch her every minute while navigating the aftermath of those riots. I need you on this. You'll stay in the hotel too, and keep an eye on her. She's got an unlimited expense account, and there're some shops around there to keep her occupied. All you have to do is stay alert. You think you can handle that, Adam?"

"... How long until I can bring her to you?"

"I don't know yet. I'm trying to get part of the mansion liveable as soon as possible, but it could be a few days. You know how badly it was damaged during the riots. Pack some things before you go and head out there. Call me if anything comes up."

"Alright, Sarif. Your niece is in capable hands." Jensen was already turning around to leave.

"I'm counting on it."


	2. Chapter 2

(Author's Note: If you are following this story, leave a review or a comment to let me know. I won't bother posting the rest if it's uninteresting! Lemme know if I should keep posting the following chapters! Thank you.)

* * *

The flight to Detroit Metro Airport was quick and uneventful. Malik wasn't her usual talkative self, and Jensen was lost in thought about his coming 'mission' so conversation was minimal. Then journey ended after a brief fifteen minute flight, with Malik wishing Jensen good luck before dropping him off on the roof of the airport and ascending into the heavens in a whirr of propeller blades.

Jensen paused a moment, watching the chopper grow smaller and smaller on the horizon before turning and entering the stairwell door. He headed down a few flights to the main floor of the airport and joined the busy queue waiting to enter the pick up area.

As always, he felt the eyes of the passers-by, and the other people standing around him. They slid over his augmented face, down to his augmented hands, and wondered at his other augmented parts. His irritation built, but he suppressed it. They didn't mean any harm, he repeated to himself, and none of them approached him or looked anything more than simply curious. A couple of women showed more than a passing interest, but he mustered his most unapproachable expression and kept his shades up. It was a relief to finally make his way to the Arrivals area, and find a seat away from the others.

The wait seemed overly long. He watched the minutes tick by on the clock, and his annoyance with the whole mission in general rose a few degrees as time seemed to move slower and slower. When the gate lit up and a woman's voice filled the intercom to announce the arriving passengers, it seemed at the last possible second, when Jensen was all but ready to throw his hands up, call Sarif and tell him to find someone else to do his babysitting.

He'd taken a few moments before leaving to put in a call to Sarif Industries resident computer geek, Frank Pritchard. A quick request for a bit of background info on Evelyn Sarif, and he learned that she was the daughter of Sarif's deceased sister. Her father was also listed as deceased, making her an orphan. He felt some empathy for her at that, but reminded himself that she was probably spoiled rotten by her billionaire uncle. Not quite the same childhood he'd had. The scant information on her went on to say she attended an unfamiliar sounding boarding school in New York, visited and lived with Sarif during the summer months while school was out, achieved higher than average grades, and had no criminal record. There wasn't anything else, and Jensen soon lost interest in reviewing the information while he waited.

He watched the passengers spilling forth from the arrival gate, eyes scanning each one and dismissing them as quickly. A fifteen year old girl. In his mind's eye, he saw the image that Sarif had given him to identify the girl. She didn't look much like David Sarif in her picture. She looked very young, very pale, and very pretty. It was a candid shot taken outside on someone's lawn. She was looking into the camera, her face very serious and with a hint of inquiry at whomever was taking the picture. Soft green eyes looked up at him from the photo, black hair tied back in a pony tail, and pink lips slightly parted as if she were about to speak.

Jensen found he didn't need to try and memorize her features. She seemed already in there, implanted in his mind with that questioning look and he knew he'd pick her out of the crowd easily. His plan of action was to be as strict as he could with the girl. If he showed himself to be unbending and no nonsense, maybe she wouldn't try pulling anything over on him. He hoped Sarif's estimation of her rebelliousness was an exaggeration.


	3. Chapter 3

(Author's Note: If you are following this story, leave a review or a comment to let me know. I won't bother posting the rest if it's uninteresting! Lemme know if I should keep posting the following chapters! Thank you.)

* * *

Evelyn Sarif swept through the gate, looking collected and self assured amongst a sea of disoriented passengers. Her silky black hair fell in artless waves around her shoulders, obviously straightened but with no other adornment. She wore a longish black shirt that hung down to mid thigh and the black tights she wore beneath were tucked into dark brown, knee high leather boots. Her oval face showed some brief resemblance to David Sarif's, but was marked with such sweetness and femininity that whatever quality which had reminded Jensen of his employer quickly dissipated. She fairly emanated willfullness, looked incredibly headstrong, and Jensen suffered a flicker of annoyance at this. He neither wanted nor knew how to deal with a rebellious teenager.

She spotted Jensen immediately and headed towards him. She walked with a confident sway that seemed calculated to draw other's attention. And draw attention it did. A young man in line watched her unguardedly with mouth agape as she passed, and an older man nodded absently to his chattering wife as he surreptitiously leered at Evelyn's passing. Adam's annoyance mounted.

"Uncle Sarif told me I'd recognize you by your augments, but I didn't realize they were going to be... so obvious."

Adam's eyebrows rose behind his sunglasses. She was going to be a pain in the ass. Insensitive, entitled, all attitude.

"My name is Adam Jensen. How nice to finally meet you, Miss Sarif. Won't you accompany me to our taxi?" He wondered if he leaked just a bit too much sarcasm, but the smile he was rewarded with took all worry of that away. She was breathtakingly beautiful when she smiled. All the seriousness melted from her face, and the sweetness that shone through threatened to... He didn't know what. Suddenly he didn't know where to look or what more to say.

"I'd love to, Mr. Jensen. Shall we pick up my luggage first, or do you intend to lend me your own suitcase?" She responded gamely, all trace of rudeness slipped away but the smile stayed, lingering around her pink lips and coaxing a smile of his own. Without thinking, he lowered his shades and found himself nodding to her. Still unable to think of something to say, he led the way to the baggage claim in silence. Evelyn followed along behind him, finding his unwillingness to talk to her a little rude. The only thing he'd said to her so far had dripped with sarcasm. This wasn't starting out well at all.


	4. Chapter 4

(Author's Note: If you are following this story, leave a review or a comment to let me know. I won't bother posting the rest if it's uninteresting! Lemme know if I should keep posting the following chapters! Thank you.)

* * *

A look of confusion on Evelyn's face changed quickly into dismay as the conveyor belt did another turn, completely empty of luggage. She looked up at Jensen blankly, and still he did not speak, but turned swiftly on his heel and headed for the Passenger Services desk. Evelyn trotted behind him, her boots clicking on the polished tiles.

After a brief conversation with the attendant, a quick glance at Evelyn's boarding pass, and a lengthy wait for the computer to complete it's lumbering search, it was determined that her luggage was 'lost in transit'. Evelyn rolled his eyes at this and Adam fought the urge to do the same. _Tell us something we don't know._

Unsure of the hotel's specific room or extension number, they left contact information for Sarif Industries, and headed out to hail a taxi.

Inside the vehicle, Evelyn looked glum and acutely annoyed. Jensen was feeling annoyed at well, but for different reasons. He didn't know what that was earlier, but his rational mind didn't approve of his emotional one. He'd been momentarily swept up in that smile, and it seemed beyond his ken to explain why. Jensen resolved to do his duty to the mission and nothing more. Best to untangle himself from this bewitching girl as soon as possible. He'd spent less than twenty minutes with her, and somehow she was dominating his thoughts... demanding to be thought about. And looked at.

He snuck a glance at Evelyn from the corner of her eye and found her looking straight at him. Her expression was mischievous and contemplative, and when their eyes met, she didn't look away. A slow smile spread across her face and she chuckled at him.

"Do you always look so serious?" she asked, teasingly. Jensen could only shrug, again finding his ability to speak stifled in the presence of that smile.

"Don't worry. I don't really expect you to lend me your suitcase, Mr. Jensen." Her grin was all teeth as she leaned towards him slightly, all flirtation. As she leaned nearer, the sweet scent of oranges filled his nose.

"You can call me Adam." He blinked in surprise. He hadn't meant to say that. He'd meant to offer the use of his clothes, his toothbrush... his underwear. Anything she wanted. Maybe relinquishing his first name instead was for the better. What the hell was wrong with him?

Evelyn, too, appeared surprised at his reply. Her eyebrows arched and the flirtatiousness left her posture. She shifted back in her seat and looked at him thoughtfully. He hadn't been particularly polite to her since the beginning, but this seemed like an offer of civility, if not friendship and she felt compelled to take it.

"Thank you... Adam. I will. And I suppose you should call me Evelyn instead of this Miss Sarif nonsense." She spoke hesitantly, a questioning look on her face that irrationally made him want to reach out and touch her shoulder. Instead, Jensen gave her a short nod and pried his gaze away. They were arriving in front of the hotel, and he was grateful for the distraction.

As they pulled up to the curb, he swung the door open and hurried out of the vehicle. Remembering to turn and offer a hand to Evelyn, he felt a jolt of surprise and pleasure when she took it and helped herself out of the vehicle. She wore no gloves, even though it was chilly outside, and her soft skin felt slightly cool to the touch. It felt damn good, and he was loath to let her hand go. A warning voice inside reminded him that she was holding a mechanical hand, and despite his gloves, she could probably feel how cold he was.

Then he felt, for the shortest second, the barest pressure of her fingers closing on his, lingering longer than necessary. She'd already gained her footing and was stepping away from the car, stepping towards him, and holding his hand. Jensen felt short of breath, couldn't look away from her face, couldn't let go of her hand.

Evelyn didn't feel much like letting go either. Straightening her jacket with one hand, she looked away from Jensen, using her adjustments as an excuse to hold onto him longer. His gloved hand felt firm around her own, and soft. She was surprised by how soft it was, considering.

In the taxi, she'd been looking at him. Examining was a more accurate word. She'd seen the hard angles beneath his gloves, and knew what it meant. Had seen the octagonal shape implant on Jensen's forehead, and knew he had more than the average augments. His face, his mind... his hands. _Where else?_, she wondered. That was when he'd seen her looking at him. She could tell he was uncomfortable around her. He seemed filled with barely repressed intensity. Some desire he held back, something he couldn't contain very well when he was near her. Maybe she pissed him off. He seemed a bitter sort, and from what Uncle David had told her of him, he had a right to be.

A fellow orphan like her. Her heart went out to him, and she made a promise to herself that she'd give him a little benefit of the doubt for his lack of civility. She of all people knew how hard it was to act 'normally' towards other people with the whirlwind of emotions that was sometimes going on inside her.

Jensen finally looked away from her, his uneasiness glaringly obvious. He paid the driver, helped pull his single suitcase out of the trunk and placed it on the curb, all with Evelyn in tow. Yet, he didn't look at her. Even with her new resolve to think well of him, she couldn't help but wonder if he was holding on to her so she wouldn't run away. She shook her head to dismiss it, but the seed of doubt had been planted. She tried to tug her hand away for a second, but Jensen held firm.

He seemed a little disoriented as the cab drove away, but the hotel doors opened to let out a bellboy dressed in red livery who ushered them inside. Evelyn tried to catch Jensen's eye and was disappointed when he wouldn't return her gaze. He led her into the lobby of the hotel a few steps, the bellboy walking ahead of them to the check in desk.

Suddenly, Jensen stopped in his tracks and turned to face her. Evelyn was surprised to find him looking angry, annoyed, impatient. _Shit... What did she do? _Worry quickly gave way to resignation. It was only a matter of time before he decided he didn't like her anyway. The sooner they settled into mutual dislike, the easier it would be. She was well versed in handling dislike.


	5. Chapter 5

(Author's Note: If you are following this story, leave a review or a comment to let me know. I won't bother posting the rest if it's uninteresting! Lemme know if I should keep posting the following chapters! Thank you.)

* * *

Evelyn looked down at the floor and steeled herself to hear whatever she'd done this time, but Jensen didn't say anything. He seemed to be debating with himself.

The moment stretched on between them, their hands still linked. Evelyn finally looked up to see what expression Adam could possibly have that would explain his holding onto her so long and was flattered to find him looking right into her eyes, with a hint of a smile playing on his face. The smile was every thing. It softened the harsh curves of his cheekbones, brought a curve to his yellow-green eyes, and filled her with a fluttery feeling somewhere around the lower belly. Not a crush, she groaned inwardly. She'd managed to avoid any of those embarrassing things so far, but what was this...

All trace of annoyance seemed to have disappeared from his face while she'd been looking away. Was he... angry with himself? _Maybe he's feeling dumb about holding hands for so long. It is kind of a strange thing for us to be doing..._

Adam didn't want to let go of that hand, but it was about to become awkward. Thinking quickly, he tugged her even closer, linking her arm through his. He stifled his earlier annoyance with himself. Why couldn't he get it together right now? It had occurred to him suddenly, as he entered the threshold of the hotel that he was walking hand in hand with a fifteen year old girl who was no relation to him whatsoever. What on earth did this look like, he wondered to himself. He was making of fool of himself. It had made him stop for a moment, but try as he might to reason with himself, there was no denying it. He was not letting go of her. He resolved to just act like this was normal and to hell with the consequences.

Evelyn felt as light as air, giddy suddenly with the rush of being treated like a grown up, like a lady. Like she existed, a person in her own right. It was heady, and she threw herself into enjoying it. She smiled up at Jensen dreamily, crushing hard in the way only a teenage girl can. He was so handsome, and dangerous! Those augments!

Jensen could feel her cheerfulness and didn't dare look down at her. Not yet. Not until he'd gotten them checked in, up the elevator and into the room. He could not lose his cool until the business of her safety and her lost luggage was taken care of. And not until he was alone.

He brought her to the check out desk, and still not wanting to relinquish his hold on her, he kept her as close as their joined arms allowed through the sign in process. His signature and initials here, a few terse orders for a wake up call and breakfast in the rooms, and they were on their way. Evelyn walked gamely towards the elevators, leaning on his arm slightly and content to let him guide her across the foyer. The bellhop trailed behind with their luggage.

As they waited for the elevator door to open, Jensen finally had to let go of her arm as a matter of necessity. He could have sworn he sensed her reluctance for a second, but she let go and said nothing. Adam turned to the bellboy and passed him a generous tip.

"I can take that from here." Without waiting for his assent, Jensen relieved the bellboy of the suitcase and turned to enter the now open elevator doors.

"Uh.. it's.. it's the first room on the left, sir.'' The surprised boy managed to stammer before the doors shut with a ding in front of him.


	6. Chapter 6

(Author's Note: If you are following this story, leave a review or a comment to let me know. I won't bother posting the rest if it's uninteresting! Lemme know if I should keep posting the following chapters! Thank you.)

* * *

Inside the elevator, Jensen pressed for the 21st floor, dropped the luggage to the floor, and reached out to take Evelyn's hand in his own again. If she was surprised, she didn't show it. Her hand was warm now, and felt soft, even through his gloves. They rode the elevator in silence. It was a long ride, but neither of them wanted it to be over. Something about elevators, he pondered to himself. It's like standing in another dimension where the rules of this world are slightly skewed. Here, he could hold a girl's hand without asking, without worry that she'd rebuff him and his mechanical parts.

Evelyn felt a surge of wonder rise within her, giving way to pure joy. She could barely keep her expression neutral. Could barely contain the urge to giggle or pour out her bliss in some other childlike outburst. Could he sense what was going on inside her? How did he know she just wanted to be comforted right now? Holding her hand, linking arms... guiding her across the room, and into the elevator. She was filled with wonder at how he took control of each situation, how protecting he seemed, without there even being a threat in the room. Her heart was beating so fast she was sure he could hear it. She hoped that it was coming across better than any nonsense she could say to express how sweet she thought him.

Too soon, the elevator chimed and the doors slid open. Jensen had to let go of her hand in order to pick up the luggage, and Evelyn felt the absence of warmth.. the absence of him, keenly. He led the way out of the elevator, taking the first left and stopping at room 2122. He pulled the card key he'd been given from his pocket and unlocked the door.

He was the first to break the silence that hung between them since getting out of the taxi. The sudden outburst of sound made her shiver. She liked the sound of his voice, she found. But more than that, she liked the feel of his silent attention.

"Here we are. We've got this room and the next. There's an adjoining door, in case of emergency. I'm gonna leave my bag with you. I didn't bring much, but if there's anything you can make use of in there, please help yourself."

He waited for her acknowledgement, which came as a nod, and found himself wanting to hear her speak. He went on, "We'll hit the shops downstairs in the morning to pick up anything else you might need. Knock on the door if you need anything at all." Putting the bag down inside the door, he backed out of the room and waited for her to close the door.

"Keep this locked at all times. Please don't try to leave during the night... It's pretty dangerous out there right now for a Sarif."

Finally, Evelyn found her voice. "I don't plan on going anywhere so I guess I'll see you in the morning then. Goodnight, Adam." She seemed a bit chilly towards him. Inwardly, she was annoyed that nothing he'd said referred to their holding hands, or his silent sweetness towards her. There was some emotion here and she was desperate for more. Her annoyance made her close the door a little too quickly and a touch too firmly. The sound echoed down the hallway as Jensen stood staring at the closed door, wishing he'd known what else to say or do. Wishing he didn't feel the way he did, but wanting more of it.

He turned towards his own room, put the key in the lock, and doggedly looked forward to a night's rest and a clear head in the morning.

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(Author's Other Note: I know it seems like this is going to become sexual in nature, but it's not. At least, not on this website. I will probably write a less PG version of some of the next few scenes for my own entertainment, but I'm sticking to the site's rules and steering them towards their unlikely friendship. If you did want to read something different, though... Tell me what you think of the story by leaving a review!)


	7. Chapter 7

(Author's Note: If you are following this story, leave a review or a comment to let me know. I won't bother posting the rest if it's uninteresting! Lemme know if I should keep posting the following chapters! Thank you.)

* * *

Jensen surveyed the room's interior for a moment, his eyes adjusting to the dim light. A queen-sized bed dominated the room, a night stand on either side. Burgundy floor-length curtains encased the tall windows. The plush carpet was beige, and felt springy under his booted feet. He closed the door behind him, and bent down to remove his boots.

In a moment, his augmented feet were free and sinking into the carpet. It was a strange sensation. The implants in his brain that controlled feeling and touch, his perception of textures, was incredibly accurate. He could feel most things with his mechanical limbs as if he were touching them with his own skin. But some surfaces defied emulation and felt slightly off, slight;y surreal against the polished metal of his hands or feet. The carpet was one of them. It was soft, that was right. It sprung back as he lifted his foot up, and it was slightly warm. But still, something felt off about it that he couldn't quite put his finger on.

Jensen could hear muffled sounds from behind the adjoining door. His augmented hearing did not allow for much privacy. He crossed the room and sat down on the bed, ready now to puzzle out what he'd do without his luggage. He could sleep in his clothes, he supposed. Or not sleep at all. Maybe Evelyn would be safer if he kept guard over night. Should he be suspicious of the missing baggage? He was sure it was coincidental, but he'd keep it in mind anyway.

A knock on the door jolted him from his thoughts. He hesitated for a moment, unsure if he'd imaged it or not, but in a second he was crossing the room and unlocking the lock. The door opened silently, obviously well oiled, and probably well used.

Evelyn stood in the doorway, holding his suitcase in both arms. She looked unsure for a moment, but recovered quickly. Holding out the suitcase to Jensen, she stepped into the room. He took it from her automatically and their hands brushed together again. It made him feel short of breath suddenly, and he almost resented her intrusion. Just when he was starting to calm down from... whatever it was she was doing to him. But then she was speaking, and he felt for one mad second that he'd do anything she asked. Her eyes were so green, he couldn't look away as she spoke.

"I don't actually need anything except a shirt to sleep in. I... didn't feel comfortable rooting around in your suitcase, so I thought you could get one for me?" She looked questioningly at him.

"You're sure?" He asked, mentally cheering himself on for having something to say this time. At her insistent nod, he carried the suitcase to the bed and opened it. His clothes were in a slight disarray and suddenly he felt embarrassed by the contents. What had he packed? What did it look like to her? What was supposed to go in a suitcase?

He ruffled through it quickly, finding a white undershirt and holding it up for her approval.

"Will this do?" She was already moving forward to take it from him. Jensen leaned forward to hand it to her, and she smiled at him again.

"Thank you. That's perfect!" Suddenly the idea of her in his shirt was all he could think about. The picture of her slight figure wrapped in his clothing filled his mind, and blood rushed in a southerly direction. His shades slid up automatically, and he looked away. He hoped she couldn't see how off balance she made him feel, but didn't think there was any chance she could miss it. She was standing so close now. Holding the shirt against her chest and gazing up at him.

"Are you okay, Adam?" She asked softly. "You seem a little shaken up."

"I'm fine." Jensen responded automatically. Realizing he'd sounded unduly curt again, he added, "Just tired."

Evelyn seemed to accept this and turned to go. "Thanks again for the shirt. See you tomorrow." She called behind her before stepping through the doorway and closing the door behind her.

Jensen stood for a moment in the quiet, listening to the faint sounds of Evelyn in her room. He stood over the open suitcase, pondering it's contents for a moment. He didn't know how long he was lost in though, but when he came back to the present, it was eleven o'clock. Forcing himself into action, he grabbed his tooth brush and headed to the bathroom. A quick cold shower was in order, and then to bed.

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(You are going to like the next chapter. Hahaha...)


	8. Chapter 8

(Author's Note: If you are following this story, leave a review or a comment to let me know. I won't bother posting the rest if it's uninteresting! Lemme know if I should keep posting the following chapters! Thank you.)

* * *

Jensen awoke with a start. Something was wrong. His hearing enhancements picked up the sound of a soft thud from behind the adjoining door. He laid still a moment, ears straining in the silence. A second and third muffled sound, and he was out of bed in an instant. Crossing the room in three quick strides, he crashed through the door and into the next room wearing only his boxer briefs.

With a inaudible click, his eyes quickly adjusted from the darkness in his room to the light coming from Evelyn's bedside lamp. It looked as though she'd fallen asleep with it on. A book lay beside her on the bed, it's pages crumpled and in disarray. Evelyn looked much the same. She was half covered by the blankets, her hair spread out behind her on the pillow. A quick glance around the room showed it to be empty, and Jensen couldn't figure out the sounds he'd heard. The room seemed slightly chilly, but the windows were closed. He asked himself why he thought it was a good idea to sleep nearly naked when he was on guard duty and couldn't come up with a satisfactory answer.

He approached the bedside somewhat quietly; if she hadn't woken to the sound of the door banging open, then odds were he wouldn't wake her. As he got a closer look at her, he realized something was seriously wrong. Her eyes were scrunched up as if she were in pain, her hands clenched and unclenched in the blankets, and suddenly her head swung to one side and she left out a pitiful mewl of distress. In a few seconds, she was writhing violently in the bed, and her cries changed to sobs. As her arms flailed, her knuckles smacked painfully against the headboard. Once, twice... Jensen winced at the sound and leaned down to restrain her arms.

"Evelyn, wa-" He'd barely gotten a word out as his hands closed around her wrists when she began to shriek. She kicked her feet to get away from him, connecting hard with his stomach and winding him. He gasped for air, and backed off. It didn't seem to help any. Whatever nightmare she was having clearly still had a strong hold on her. As if in slow motion, he watched as she nearly cracked her head against the headboard, and unable to stop himself, he threw himself into the bed with her. Throwing a leg over her kicking feet, and an arm across her torso, he brought his other hand around the back of her head to stop her from hitting it.

"Evelyn!" He shook her as she continued to fight against him, her cries getting even louder. "Evelyn, wake up! It's alright, it's just a dream. Hey, come on now! Wake up!" Another hard shake and she seemed to snap to wakefulness. Her eyes popped open and she stared straight forward for a moment before realizing Jensen's arms were around her. She turned to him in surprise.

"Adam? ..Oh my god... I'm.. so sorry," was all she said before the tears glistening in her eyes spilled down her cheeks and she collapsed against him in incoherent sobs. Jensen's body was shocked with the sudden contact. Although he'd been laying next to her for a few seconds now, she'd been fighting to get away from him. This felt... completely different.

Evelyn squirmed up against him until every inch of them were touching. Desperate for contact, for comfort, she buried her head in the crook of his shoulder and cried against his neck. He was slow to react. His arms finally moved from restraining to what he hoped was comforting. One arm was still trapped under her head, but the other tentatively settled on her back. Slowly, he began to rub circles into the small of her back, feeling awkward and ill-suited to the job of comforter.

He couldn't shake the thought that his arms and legs must feel freezing against her bare skin. Then he couldn't shake the thought of her bare skin against his arms and legs. Then he couldn't help but shake his head at his own thoughts, drag himself back to the reality of the situation.

"What was that?" Jensen asked quietly when she finally seemed to settle down. Her crying subsided to the occasional sniffle, but she didn't pull her head away from him. He felt oddly grateful for that, but didn't let himself examine the feeling too closely.

"It... was just a nightmare," came Evelyn's muffled reply. Jensen felt her tense, pulling away from him slightly. He instantly regretted saying anything at all. Why couldn't he just keep his mouth shut for a while longer. How many more moments like this would he have in his lifetime? Where another human being actually wanted to be near him, physically? Someone who didn't shudder away from the implants and augments and nuts and bolts that made up his now alien body? None. He could barely believe this was happening now, that he wasn't still asleep in the next room.

"It didn't seem like just a nightmare..." _Shut up, Adam!_ Jensen rolled his eyes at himself. Way to sabotage what could be his last moment of human contact. It was certainly his first since he'd been augmented. Even in his most reckless moments, he couldn't bring himself to pick up a girl, or show any return interest in the many women who gave him the eye. He knew they thought he was a freak, a curiosity. An alien to add to their list of conquests. A part of him insisted that in his current state of emotional upheaval and adjusting to his body's vast changes, any woman he tried to get involved with would just chew him up and spit him out.

A soft sigh escaped Evelyn as she pulled back even more. Her tear stained face was just inches from Jensen's, and she looked gloomily at him. Without being able to stop himself, his hand reached up to brush a few strands of hair out of her eyes. And then it encroached a little further to wipe an errant tear sliding down her chin. Evelyn managed a quick smile at this, and Jensen felt emboldened to push his luck a little more. He leaned in to bump his forehead against hers, reminiscent of a cat begging for attention and Evelyn gave a watery chuckle in response. This time her smile stuck, and Jensen felt his stomach do a little flop in response.

"Alright, if you are going to be so sweet about it," she said, with another little laugh. "I have quite a few of these nightmares. And before you ask, yes... They're always this extreme. It's none of your business what they're about, so don't ask me that either."

He looked curiously at her, hoping she'd volunteer more if he didn't say anything. "It's just something I've dealt with since... since my parents were killed. I'm sure you were briefed on my family history." That last sounded a little bitter.

"Actually, I wasn't. I do know you are an orphan, and that you're Sarif's ward, but the reason why hasn't ever come up." Jensen's voice was soft and inquiring. He didn't want to push her to talk, but he did want her to share with him very badly.

"That's surprising. I guess Uncle David just didn't think you needed to know. I can't imagine he withheld that tidbit out of sensitivity."

"You don't seem to hold your uncle in very high esteem."

"Why would I? The feelings are obviously mutual, or else _you_ wouldn't be the one here rescuing me. I'm always being told I look a lot like my mother. A more mature person would accept that I probably remind him of his sister, my mother, and it's probably painful for him or something. But personally, I really don't know why he avoids me, all I know is that it's hard to care about someone who doesn't act like they care about you."

Jensen could understand this. He nodded simply in response and a daring part of him closed his arms around her tighter than ever. She said he was rescuing her. It made his head spin a little, flattered, touched. Without thinking, he pulled her firmly against him, skin to skin and metal, and buried his face in her hair. She smelled like oranges.

Evelyn gave a little squeak of protest at such rough treatment but didn't resist. It felt damn good to be held against him. He felt strong and safe, his arms seemed slightly warm to the touch, as if warmed by his body heat or some internal heat source. His legs intertwined with hers felt unimaginably good, and she imagined she was catching on to the appeal of sleeping with a guy. She'd always felt disinterested in the opposite sex, lagging behind her friends in crushes and boy talk, and sexual experience. She didn't see the appeal. Boys were silly, and immature, and not at all romantic. But this, this was something different. Something wonderfully warm and good.

She let herself be cuddled, eyes drooping slowly as exhaustion hit her all at once. The heat of Jensen's body soothed her into sleep, and she welcomed it. She rarely had more than one of her 'nightmares' in one night, and felt safe letting herself sleep again. Maybe in the morning she'd tell Jensen about her parents deaths. She was grateful that even though she'd breezed over the subject, he hadn't asked dug any further.

Jensen listened to the gradual slowing of her breathing. His head was above hers on the pillow so he couldn't see her face, but he could sense the moment when she fell into sleep. She relaxed against him completely, her breath hot against his skin. He wondered briefly if he should get up, go back to his own bed. But he couldn't make himself do it. It didn't seem quite appropriate for him to lay here, stretched out with a fifteen year old girl, clad in only his boxers. Still couldn't make himself do it.

Resolutely, he closed his eyes, and mentally shut off his infolink to Sarif Industries. He was unwilling to share this intimate moment with anyone else. It wasn't long until sleep claimed him, blocking out the rest of the world and filling his dreams with the smell of oranges.


	9. Chapter 9

(Congratulations, you made it! The little blurb at the beginning of Chapter One catches up with the rest of the story, finally! This is a short one, but I'm already working on the next. You know I like short ones. Thanks for reading. Leave me a comment if you likey.)

* * *

Adam's sleep addled brain awoke to the sensation of a warm body curling up against him. Soft skin brushed against his, the smell of oranges fluttered into the air around him and he had no power to resist. Sluggishly, he moved to enclose his arms around the girl. A small sigh escaped him as he pulled her closer still, and buried his face in her tangled hair. As he slowly came fully awake, he was aware of her deep breathing. She was still asleep, her chest rising and falling in time with his own. Her hand had slid around his waist, resting on his lower back.

It took a moment, but Adam eventually registered the rest of her limbs. One bare leg leaned against his thigh, and then other leg looped over his own to press against his groin. Her other hand was trapped between them, dangerously close to inappropriate territory. The shock of finding them so intimately entwined was instant, but gave way to worry just as quickly. He was fairly certain that nothing had happened during the night; they were both too exhausted after her earlier struggle and his mental agonies. But he didn't want to be accused of doing anything inappropriate with the teenager.

What would Sarif say if he found out Adam had barely waited a day before jumping into bed with his fifteen year old niece?

Moving slowly so as not to wake her, he inched himself away one leg at a time, pulling his torso up last and shifting to the edge of the bed. As he slid away, a mumbled moan escaped her.

"Adam..." He stiffened at the sound of her voice. _Gods, was she awake the whole time?_ He sat still a moment waiting for her to say something else, but nothing was forthcoming. He listened to the sound of her breathing again, and decided she was still asleep. And mumbling his name in her sleep. If asked, Jensen couldn't tell you why that made him smile, and yet it did.

Stretching his back and shoulders, he stood looking down at her sleeping form. Unlike the night before, she looked very peaceful. Her face, relaxed in sleep, looked younger than ever. Softened by a fragile innocence that he found vastly more attractive than the charms of any sophisticated or experienced woman.

Jensen shook his head firmly to quell that line of thinking. This was dangerous ground he was treading and as familiar with danger as he was, this was of a kind completely alien to him. He resolved to do his best to keep his distance from her, physically. A moment's indiscretion could set in motion a lifetime of a consequences for them both. Jensen was adamant that he wouldn't let that happen.

* * *

(The next chapter is quite long compared to the others, and I think it's fairly good. Lots of plot moving forward, and some sexiness. Still haven't gotten much of a response, so I'm just gonna hang onto it for now. Hope you enjoyed this one!)


	10. Chapter 10

(A/N: Here's a longer bit for you. Dedicated to my only two reviewers so far; Sephira.92 and LadydemolatronTheDarkusLady1 2. If you have time to check out their stories, please do so!)

* * *

A knock on the hotel room door startled Evelyn from sleep. She groggily crawled her way out of bed, threw on the complimentary robe hanging on the bathroom door and rushed to answer the knock.

Standing at the door was an elderly housekeeper in full uniform. She smiled sweetly at Evelyn, and motioned to a laundry cart behind her.

"Any drycleaning, miss?" Evelyn blinked at the woman a few times before she registered the request. She must've slept terribly...

The events of the previous night returned to her in a rush. Her suitcase, the nightmare, and... Adam. Adam comforting her, holding her... feeling so... Adam. She blushed at the thoughts spinning around her head, the housekeeper momentarily forgotten. Evelyn turned back to the room and stared at the bed. _Where had he gone? Did he stay the whole night or...?_

Spying her crumpled shirt on a chair where she'd flung it, Evelyn dashed over to retrieve it and handed it to the housekeeper.

"There you are, thank you!" She closed the door a little too eagerly and it made a heavy bang she was sure Adam could hear in the next room._ He must have very good hearing_, she thought to herself, running a hand through her messy hair.

A twinge of pain in her right hand made her pause. It was quite sore, and so was her back. She stretched for a moment, assessing her aches and pains. Her violent flailing from the night before had gifted her with a mild headache, a sore neck, and a couple of very bruised knuckles. She was examining them closely when Adam stepped into the room.

Her head whipped up at the unannounced intrusion. Surprisingly, he hadn't knocked before entering through the adjoining door. He was already fully dressed, wearing his customary dark pants and trench coat and oddly enough, socks. As he stood in the doorway for a moment, he seemed to feel the impulsiveness of it and grinned at her sheepishly. Evelyn smiled back and he took it as his cue to stroll on in.

"Good morning, Evelyn."

As Adam approached, she dropped her hand in embarrassment.

"Hey, Adam."

It wasn't looking particularly pretty at the moment, the two middle knuckles were an angry red, and slightly swollen. She didn't want him to see the results of her childishness. Prone to nightmares. How immature she must seem. But it was too late, the quick motion had already caught Adam's eye.

"How is it?" He asked, grabbing her hand without waiting for a response. He examined last night's damage and made a little sound of sympathy. He certainly knew what bruised knuckles felt like.

"It looks worse than it is," Evelyn replied, trying to tug her hand away. She was never comfortable with being babied. But Adam wouldn't release her hand, bringing it right to his face on the pretence of looking closer. His eyes flicked to hers, catching her gaze and holding it. He could see a slight blush darken her cheeks under his attention and against all reason, his eyes still locked on hers, he bent his head and kissed the offending digit.

Evelyn's eyes widened at this, and her blush deepened. She gave a nervous laugh and tried to swat him away with her other hand.

"Really! Adam! I'm too old for that... Stop it!" She said, as he moved to kiss the other one. Adam caught her other hand with his free one and trapped it against his side. Still not breaking eye contact, he slowly opened his mouth, making sure she was looking right at him and closed his lips over her knuckle. Very slowly and deliberately, he began to gently suck on it. Adam felt rather than heard Evelyn's short intake of breath as she watched him sucking on her bruised finger.

Silence reigned in the room, except for soft wet sound of Adam's mouth as he released one finger and moved steadily on to the next. Evelyn had long since stopped trying to pull her arm away and instead had a firm grip on his jacket. She thought he might be holding her upright, but she wasn't sure. The blood pulsing through her ears blocked out everything else. A sharp stab of pleasure struck her lower belly and slid lazily downwards.

Part of her wished she had more injured fingers, but even with only two sore knuckles, Adam was taking his sweet, sweet time. Evelyn took a few steps closer until her toes brushed the tip of his socked foot. For a moment, the absurdity of wearing socks over robotic feet overcame the desire raging through her, and she burst out laughing.

Pulling her hand from his mouth, Adam wiped her wet fingers on his shirt. He looked confused. With her other arm free, Evelyn tried to stifle her laughter with a hand over her mouth but it just kept coming. It seemed a reaction to the tension that had filled the room. She tried not to, but couldn't help looking down at his socks. Adam followed her glance downward to his feet and his gaze darkened. He dropped her hand and took a step back.

"I'm sorry. That was entirely inappropriate." His voice was stiff and formal, and it sobered Evelyn instantly. She realized she'd offended him. He wasn't sensitive about his feet or something, was he?

"Wh.. what? No, _I'm_ sorry! I shouldn't have laughed, only... that just felt so good and..." She looked away uncomfortably, irritated to feel herself blushing yet again. "I was thinking about you wearing socks over your augments. I didn't really get a good look at them last night, but I thought I saw... your legs and feet are augmented too?"

Adam seemed to have gone completely cold. He responded stiffly again, "They are."

Realizing that nothing more was forthcoming, Evelyn felt compelled to fix whatever she'd just done. _Stupid girl... What grown man likes being laughed at? Especially when he's doing something so sweet. And romantic. And sexy._ Her insides gave another little flutter at the thought of his mouth on her.

"You... seem to have a lot of augments," _Dumb dumb dumb. Way to state the obvious, Eve!_

"Yeah, I guess I do." Adam's eyes wandered away from her, to the crumpled bed, to the wrinkled tights she'd worn yesterday, laying in a heap on the floor. Then back to her. He seemed a million miles away and full of regret.

"Sorry, I haven't cleaned up yet." _Why was she apologising for the state of her _own_ hotel room? _Exasperated with herself, she abruptly turned away and started picking up the blankets that had fallen to the floor. Adam stood quietly behind her, watching her, saying nothing. She could only tug the sheets into place so many times, and when finally she could take no more of the silence, she turned back to him.

Adam looked lost in his own thoughts. A frown creased his face, and disappointment and sadness danced together behind his eyes. Evelyn felt sympathy well up in her, though she wasn't even sure what had set him off.

"Adam?" She said softly, breaking him out of his reverie. "Is everything alright? If I said something insensitive... I'm really sorry." She tried a smile.

He shrugged his shoulders and assumed a neutral expression. "I'm fine, don't worry. I was just thinking that we should head out soon and grab the stuff you'll need for the next few days. Clothes, toothbrush, whatever else?"

Evelyn forced herself to be satisfied with this. She'd only known the guy for one night, who was she to pry into his feelings? She didn't consider herself an expert of human emotion, by any means.

"Okay, I'll just get dressed and..." Evelyn pulled up short. "Oh crap." Adam raised an inquiring eyebrow at her.

"The maid came earlier and she woke me up and she was asking for drycleaning, and I wasn't thinking! I just gave her my shirt!" She rolled her eyes at herself. "I don't know how long it'll take or anything. I can't wear this, can I?" Evelyn gestured to Adam's ill-fitting shirt.

Adam had been trying not to look too closely since the very moment he'd stepped into the room, but he couldn't resist the sudden invitation. It was far too large for her, drooping down to reveal the tops of her breasts and hanging loose around her midsection. No, she couldn't very well wear that, as much as he liked it.

"Will you go down to the giftshop and buy me a shirt, Adam? I can wear my tights with it, if you pick something longish." She looked hopefully at him.

It was Adam's turn to roll his eyes. He was going to have to shop for her now. How the hell was he supposed to know what would fit? Or what she considered 'longish'? Annoyance at the task in front of him bubbled to the surface, but he was desperate for a moment away from her to clear his head. _Especially after her reaction to..._ He shut down that train of thought immediately.

"Alright. I'll be back soon." Adam swept out of the room without waiting for her response. Evelyn was left staring after him, a pout threatening to form on her lips. The man was downright surly!


	11. Chapter 11

(A/N: Publishing this even though it's short, and contains no Adam/Evelyn bits. I just wanted you guys to be aware that I've returned, and I'm working on the story again. I have a tonne of plot, and I hope to continue working on this. Thanks for your support! I was surprised to hear so many people clamouring for more. You make me feel very awesome, so thanks!)

* * *

In the corridor, Adam paused a moment to try to clear his thoughts. He'd let her get to him again. He felt annoyed but more with himself than with her. He found himself wishing he wasn't so damn sensitive about anything to do with his augmentations. The attack on Sarif Industries, his surgeries... his broken body. Everything to do with it made his stomach turn, and a sickly feeling of shame wash over him. He barely felt human any more.

The socks were a cover. A meagre grasping at what once was. With feet no longer flesh and blood, no longer at the mercy of cold or discomfort, the socks were unnecessary. They were simply one of many things he did to fight off the demons in the back his mind. Demons insisting he couldn't go back, couldn't be human again.

Finding himself wandering down a dangerous path, Adam reigned in his thoughts and made his way to the elevator. Best to get this over with quickly.

* * *

In the hotel's giftshop, some tinkling instrumental music played over the loudspeaker, and a bored looking young woman manned the front counter. She flipped through a magazine on the countertop without seeming to pay any attention to it's contents. Adam had wandered the aisles for a moment already before she even glanced up to acknowledge him.

When her eyes landed on him, she perked up a little. Patting her hair into place, she looked Adam up and down and appeared to like what she saw. She flashed Adam her most winning smile, all teeth and freckles. Adam gave her a nod and continued pawing through a pile of shirts with Detroit marked across the front.

His exasperation growing at the abundance of size XXL and the scarcity of smaller sizes, Adam tossed a shirt aside and moved to another pile. How the hell do you shop for a teenage girl? Giving up with a shrug, his hands landed on a smallish looking shirt, another touristy souvenir marked Detroit, but not quite as gaudy as the others. He could feel it's inadequacy, but was ready to give up trying. For a man who prided himself on his patience, he sure felt a lack of it today.

As he approached the counter, his eyes roamed over the girl behind the register, drawn by the brightly coloured dress she wore. She was short, and of petite build. Somewhat similar to Evelyn's bodytype, but not curvy at all. Not an ounce of sexy suggestiveness about her. Pushing that thought firmly to the back of his mind, Adam presented the shirt to the cashier. She blushed at his obvious attention and reached down to smooth her dress around her hips.

"Do you like it? I bought it from here. I know it's a little daring, but I thought-" Adam glanced at her dress, and tuned the rest of her chatter out. Yellow, bright, fluttery and polka dotted. It was short, very short, and revealed skinny, shapeless legs. It had a square neckline that did nothing for her flat chest, and sleeves that slid off the shoulders. He actually did like it, regardless of it's fit.

Cutting her off mid-sentence, he asked, "You said you got it here?"

"Ye-yes... Right over there." She pointed at a rack of clothes behind him, clearly flustered. Adam paid her little attention after that. He guessed at a size, paid for the dress and the tshirt, and headed back to the elevator, leaving the salesgirl blinking after him. Unsure whether to be offended or flattered, she returned to her magazine with a shrug.


	12. Chapter 12

Evelyn sat on the edge of her bed, waiting for Adam. With her bare legs stretched out before her, she stared off into space and wiggled her toes absentmindedly. Something she'd said or done had offended him. She pondered this quietly, only able to come up with one possible reason why. She'd laughed at his socks. Well, not quite at them. They'd simply opened the doors to the feeling of light-hearted shyness that was welling up in her. Maybe she ought to apologise again. But, Adam was so prickly. So hard to read! One minute he was tender and sweet, and breathtakingly cuddly, and the next...

A knock on the door roused her from her reverie. She hopped up and opened it with a smile, determined to gloss over their previous encounter. She wanted them to get along. She desperately wanted Adam to like her, and despite him seeming inclined to do so, she felt their budding friendship to be a fragile one. It would require a little more finesse on her part, and less giggling.

Adam strode into the room, and abruptly shut the door behind him. "You should've checked who it was before answering. I told you not to open your door to just anyone."

Evelyn stood with mouth agape, taken aback at his irritation. But she recovered quickly, mustering her earlier determination to smooth things between them.

"I'm sorry...! I forgot. I'll try to remember next time. I'm not used to this whole 'cloak and dagger' thing..." She smiled at him prettily, and for a moment it seemed like he wanted to smile back. He mastered himself swiftly, however, and only answered with a deeper frown.

Tossing the bag on the floor, he plucked out the oversized t-shirt and handed it to her. "Here, it's the best I could find."

Evelyn accepted the clothing from him with eyes wide. She held it up in front of herself, and although Adam had known it would be too big, he could see now that it was completely unacceptable. It was huge, and garish, and she was tiny, and adorable, and... She cleared her throat nearly inaudibly, and tried to think of something pleasant to say. Nothing presented itself.

Adam glanced at the bag again, feeling uncertain and very self conscious. He decided against mentioning the dress. How could he present that frilly, polka-dotted thing to her? He would die of embarrassment. He'd already handed her the most ludicrous t-shirt...

But Evelyn's eyes had followed his own. She spotted a bit of yellow material sticking out of the bag, and found herself laughing again. "I should've known you couldn't be serious! This thing is awful!" She tossed the shirt at Adam, his reaction came slowly and he caught it just before it hit the ground. Evelyn had already descended upon the shopping bag, pulling out the yellow dress gleefully.

"Oh my gosh! It's gorgeous! It's adorable..." She popped the tag out of the collar and checked the size. "Hey, that's my size, too... How'd you know?" She was all smiles and sunshine and this time Adam couldn't resist smiling back. He shrugged at her helplessly, and was met by her tinkling laughter again. This time it didn't make him feel self conscious. She liked the dress, and he was feeling quite pleased with himself.

"Just a second, I'm gonna put it on," She said, darting into the bathroom and calling over her shoulder, "Why don't _you_ wear that other shirt, Adam..."

He found himself grinning down at the monstrosity in his hand. Right. Adam put it back in the shopping bag and settled himself on the bed to wait. She took a lot longer than he expected, and he found himself worrying about the dress. What if it was too short or something? He had no idea what was appropriate for a 15 year old to wear.

When Evelyn stepped out of the bathroom, he realized his fears were unfounded. She looked lovely. The dress was a near perfect fit. It did seem a little short, revealing a great deal of exposed flesh below the flounces of the skirt. But it seemed to suit her in a way he couldn't quite put his finger on. Adam made to get up, but she hurriedly moved to the end of the bed, and pushed him back down.

"Wait! You have to tell me if it looks okay." Her hand touched his shoulder briefly, holding him in place, and Adam's shades slide back with a near-silent click. She seemed a little startled at this, mesmerized by gentle yellow eyes looking up at her, but she resumed her smile determinedly and stepped back a few paces. _  
_

"The front," she announced, ruffling the sides of the dress with her hands, and curtseying. The square neckline accentuated the curved tops of her breasts, and when she leaned forward... Adam willed himself not to stare. He managed an encouraging nod, and her smile widened. With a twirl, she turned around and presented the back of the dress. He hadn't noticed it before, but a ribbon tied around the back, and she'd made a big floppy bow with it.

Evelyn turned around again and waited patiently for Adam's approval. She could feel him warming to her. A spark of hope leap to life within her, and she felt like she stood a chance of actually winning him over. He was still staring at her with eyes uncovered, piercing yellow eyes that regarded her thoughtfully. He didn't seem to know what to say, and she didn't much feel like breaking the spell either.

Finally, he roused and looked up at her. "Sorry. I was lost in thought for a moment there. It's... nice." She raised her eyebrows at this, and he elucidated, "It's very pretty. You look beautiful, but I'm pretty sure you already know that."

Evelyn laughed at this, and gestured for him to get up. "Thank you!" she said, feeling even more hopeful. She gathered herself up nervously and added, "...I hope you're not still mad at me about earlier." Evelyn couldn't quite meet his eye, and looked down instead, watching her toes burrow into the carpet. Adam watched her toes too, and fought the urge to put his shades back up. It wasn't exactly fair of him to take his own insecurities out on her. She'd been nothing but sweet to him since they'd arrived here, and more than patient with his mood swings.

This time is was Adam's turn to smile. He stood up, but she still had her eyes on the floor, unsure of herself now that they were discussing something beyond general pleasantries. But as Adam's arms came around her, she finally did look up with a look of surprise on her face, quickly followed by pleasure. She put her arms around him happily and hugged back. Definitely too tightly, definitely pressing herself a little too closely. But Adam didn't protest, and instead said simply, "Let's forget about it," while his hands smoothed the silky folds of her dress. His fingers lingered on the bow, and then slid down to rest on the small of her back.

Evelyn sighed softly in agreement, and rested her head against Adam's chest. Thank goodness he wasn't angry with her! It was deliciously sweet when they got along, and she could think of nothing in the world worth arguing about while he held her.

"Does this mean you'll wear that shirt after all?" She felt his chest rumble with laughter and grinned happily.

* * *

(A/N: You guys are so nice. Wow. Haha... I started writing this and it really wanted to be short, but I kept thinking, 'Wait! People want to read more! Write more, write more!' and so it ended up being slightly longer than before. I have so much fun writing their intimacies, it is positively shameful. And I have no idea what's inappropriate for the site. Eek! Well, I hope you liked it.)


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